How can you improve your personal efficiency using The Six Sigma Methodology?

Do you understand what Six Sigma really is? If you don’t, we’ll help you understand all the benefits and improvements to efficiency that you can get with this tool.

As I have always told you, if these improvement techniques work in large companies and multinationals, you must be a rough diamond to apply them to our personal lives.

I will confess that I was a very good employee in my previous jobs in private companies. And I’m honestly not bragging, I happened to be a great employee.

The way I worked adapted perfectly to the company's objectives. But my personal life was not going as well as my work in the office. Why didn't I have the same skills in my personal life? Does it happen to you too?

I wanted a more balanced, productive and, why not, rewarding personal life. I wanted to congratulate myself on how well I carried it, just as my bosses did in my workplace.

I had to know how I could incorporate the skills, which I used in my job, in my daily life. Thinking and thinking I concluded that I had to follow the Six Sigma method to get closer to my personal goals in a more effective way.

What is Six Sigma?

It is a process of quality improvement used by many companies and organizations around the world. It was originally conceptualized by Motorola in the 80s, using the basics of the Japanese active price bubble. Six Sigma is a business approach used to solve complex problems, which often involve many variables.

I think that this simple definition shows that it can adapt perfectly to our day today. Where change and variability are constant and where we are surrounded by many problems, seeing many of them with complexity.

The methodology provides a logical sequence for problem-solving, ensuring consistent and excellent results. Another phrase that attracts much attention. Who does not seek excellence and consistency in their lives? Improving your personal efficiency with Six Sigma is, in the same way, possible.

This Six Sigma technique can produce great results for several reasons. One of them is that it reduces the time required to obtain a goal or fulfill a goal. The more time you save, on the one hand, the more time you will have to live as you would like. Which is a huge benefit for your personal life?

What lessons can you learn from Six Sigma?

Lesson 1: Clear definition of objectives.

If I have already told you that it is important to have dreams to achieve success, the first step will be to translate these dreams into goals. From daily goals to goals that will take you half a lifetime to achieve. Having goals helps you to focus your efforts.

The first step towards personal efficiency is to clearly establish your goals and document them in order to review them in the future. This documentation, Lean Sigma calls it "project."

The project is a road map, a contract, which helps you plan and complete any objective you set. Declare, write down and clearly define the objectives, being specific is undoubtedly one of the best weapons that this methodology must increase your efficiency.

Lesson 2: Analysis of why.

One of the biggest problems of efficiency is that the hours you spend trying may be aimed at finding a solution without understanding what the true nature of the problem is.

One of the phases of the Six Sigma methodology is dedicated to identifying, understanding and documenting the nature of the problem. You must identify with total honesty and sincerity what your problems are before proceeding to discuss why they exist.

On the road to efficiency, both in life and in business, it is vital to recognize that there is a problem before wondering why.

Lesson 3: Be more specific.

I do not know if you will be one of those who act as things are coming. You know what you want to do with your life. But most of your goals and objectives are very generic and you feel that you are not making progress.

An important part of having goals is to be able to quantify them. For them, your goals must follow the SMART philosophy that I already explained and that I advise you to review. Six Sigma teaches you that if you can't measure something, you can't control it. Efficiency is impossible if you don't know how efficient you are.

Lesson 4: The importance of planning

Yes. That you are tired of hearing how important planning is. You have more than accepted, everyone talks about it, but probably you have not yet gotten it.

I do not know if you will be one of those people who do not invest time to plan their activities. But it is one of the fundamental elements of Six Sigma: the practice of good planning.

What is a plan? The answer is very simple: actions and deadlines. Once you have your problems identified and objectives and goals proposed, the plan details everything you are going to do towards reaching the goal and at what time you will do it. Adhering to an action plan is the heart of the Six Sigma.

Lesson 5: Make use of the data

As I once read, "The estimation powers of humans are excellent, but their accuracy is not so evolved."

Well, one lesson you can learn from Six Sigma is to ask, find and use data to make decisions. This methodology cannot make you more efficient on its own. The one who is going to have to make the right decisions based on what others or your interests tell you is going to be you.

You will have to manipulate data to give a real picture of the path to your goals. Data collection and analysis will help you know where you are before you start improving efficiency.

Lesson 6: Without the support of others, the process fails

The good practice of the Six Sigma methodology requires an intensive collaborative effort. From the definition of the problem to the identification of what is a priority, or the brainstorm to generate solutions, etc. People are extremely transcendental for a good Six Sigma project.

The most important lesson it gives us is that we must collaborate and associate with people. Since these can offer ideas, give constructive criticism and enhance the achievement of your goals.

This is what usually happens when we have goals without a plan. It's how you want to fish in the sea without carrying the necessary tools. To ensure that your goals are met and that you improve your processes and results, Sig Sigma proposes you to use the concepts that I am going to list you.

Concept 1: Clear definition of the improvement you need.

What do you want to improve? Identify the starting point where you are and a realistic goal you want to reach. As I have already told you, the more specific you are, the more likely you will be to achieve it.

Concept 2: Identification of the factors that affect you

I'm going to take my geek and engineering side to remind you of a formula you probably saw in your day during your study time:

Y = f(x)

This expression is key to help you solve problems and meet your goals. It is key to improve your results.

The "y" is the result you want to get and that is a function of certain "x" factors.

If you want to set up a restaurant, that would be your «and» objective and for this you will have to consider factors such as a study of the investment plan, search for a place, hiring of personnel or strengthening relationships with your suppliers.

Of course, you must be clear that these factors can intervene in the formula with different weight. You can experiment with the factors that you consider key in a controlled scenario and measure the results you get. You don't need to hire anyone if your partner or children help you. Maybe you must put a greater effort in looking for suppliers than in a specific place.

Concept 3: Extension of the line of sight.

Knowledge is a key point when it comes to achieving the objectives you set for yourself. And one way to get this knowledge is by measuring.

Set a goal to run a marathon this year, save on fuel consumption in the next three months, do a couple more hours of exercise a week, ... Keeping track of it by collecting data can make the process of improvement you want to achieve.

Concept 4: Waste disposal

One of the objectives of Six Sigma is the reduction of time lost when it comes to meeting objectives. By reducing these wastes, the process is accelerated.

Concept 5: The logical order of things

Things have a natural flow and will have fewer effects and costs if you configure your process to match this flow.

Do not get in the pool if you have not filled it with water. Or do not try to cook a delicious dinner without even knowing how to light your kitchen fire or induction hob.

How to apply the principles of Six Sigma to personal life?

Many of the ideas and concepts of quality management serve as common sense and can be applied to improve your efficiency outside the professional sphere with great results. That is one of the objectives that I want to help you see on this website.

Similarly, Six Sigma can help you achieve that:

• Maximize time strategically to be able to dedicate yourself to personal projects.

• Increase your productivity at work or at home.

• Normalize your sleep cycle, without compromising your productive time.

• Eliminate waste and losses in your personal economy.

• Reduce your downtime, eliminating waste from your time management.

• Optimize your relationships to achieve a personal life without stress.

• Do things on time, within time and budget.

• Develop a balance between personal and work life.

• Promote personal leadership and skills.

The Six Sigma theory advocates using a practical set of tools and techniques to improve processes. The ones that stand out for being well adapted for the application in the personal sphere are:

• The Training - Agitation - Standardization - Realization model. To relieve stress and strengthen personal relationships.

• The DMAMC process: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. Employee to improve what you propose.

• The technique of the 8 wastes. To save resources and minimize waste.

Each of these techniques will be developed over the coming weeks in several articles. So, get ready that curves are coming! But above all, get ready to discover a methodology that will allow you to obtain the benefits already indicated above.

Jairo Murillo Prado

Socio Director